Q&A with Alex Squire – living with quadriplegia

Alex Squire’s blog, The Life Quadriplegic, offers a unique perspective on life as a quadriplegic powerchair user, covering accessibility, technology travel, and personal experiences.

Personal Journey & Blogging

Q – How has Osborne Morris & Morgan Solicitors supported you? 

A – OMM has helped me not only by securing enough money in damages for me to live on but also by providing valuable advice and support regarding my trust fund for many years. Understanding the world of investments and portfolios can be complicated but it helps to have expert advice on hand when it’s needed. Additionally, they have provided guidance to me and my family on various matters over the years, including my will. So OMM has definitely been a great help over the many years they have been working with me.

Q – What inspired you to start The Life Quadriplegic?

A – It seemed like a good way to share my experiences with other disabled people and learn from each other. I hoped to raise awareness of the issues facing wheelchair users and show people in a similar situation what is possible by doing things they may not have considered, such as paragliding or sailing.

Q – How has blogging helped you share your experiences and connect with others?

A – Blogging allows me to share my experiences with a wider audience. I have had readers from places as far afield as India and Australia. Although my target audience is primarily UK readers, I think that those in other countries could also resonate with some of my experiences. If someone reads one of my posts and they can relate to it then that helps me connect with them. I always encourage people to comment or they can send me a message, and they often do which is always appreciated.

Q – What are some of the most memorable responses or interactions you’ve had from readers?

A – I’ve had a few people saying thank you for the reviews of places I’ve visited abroad, as well as some about the assistive devices I’ve tried. It’s satisfying when people say that they find my posts useful.

Accessibility & Advocacy

Q – What are the biggest challenges you face in terms of accessibility in everyday life?

A – Whenever I go somewhere new, I need to check whether it is wheelchair accessible. Places nowadays should be accessible, but not all of them are. There are still some places that have steps and no ramps that I can’t get in. Usually old buildings. But saying that, I’ve been to some really old places with very good accessibility adaptations. So it is possible to adapt places. It just depends on what they consider reasonable adjustments to be.

Q – Have you seen improvements in accessibility over the years, or do you feel there’s a long way to go?

A – I believe there have been significant improvements over the years. Nowadays, there are lots more changing places toilets, for example, and more are being built all the time, which is great to see. Generally, I think people are more aware of the need to be accessible for the disabled nowadays, but the law still leaves a bit of leeway. It stated that “reasonable” adjustments must be made, which is somewhat ambiguous. Some places might avoid providing adjustments by claiming they are not reasonable. I believe the law needs to be more precise and stricter. If you look at buses, they only provide one wheelchair space, which is the bare minimum. What happens if more than one wheelchair user wants to get on the bus at the same time? They can’t, which is very frustrating. And these spaces are often occupied by buggies which should give priority to wheelchair users but often they don’t. There has been some improvement, but more is still needed.

Q – What changes would you like to see in public places, transport, or events to make them more inclusive?

A – I would like to see more Changing Places toilets so that there is one in every shopping centre, stadium, museum, leisure centre, and so on. They need to be everywhere so that disabled people are not limited as to where they can go if they need to use a toilet. Some towns or cities don’t have any yet. Also, I would like to see more wheelchair spaces in public transport to allow more than one wheelchair user at a time on board.

Technology & Innovation

Q – Are there any accessibility tools or devices you’d recommend to others in similar situations?

A – Yes, for reading hands-free, I would recommend the iPad because you can use voice commands to control it. For moving the mouse on a computer, I recommend the HeadMouse Nano because it’s plug-and-play and easy to use. Additionally, Dragon NaturallySpeaking is the best voice recognition software available at the moment for controlling computers and dictation.

Travel & Experiences

Q – You’ve written about accessible travel – what has been your best experience so far?

A – It has to be paragliding in Switzerland. It was a beautiful, sunny day, perfect for flying over the stunning blue lake and taking in the breath-taking mountain scenery around me. I would love to do it again sometime!

Q – What advice would you give someone with mobility challenges who wants to travel more?

A – I suggest contacting a company that specialises in organising holidays for disabled people because they will know which accommodation in your preferred destination is accessible, and they will handle the booking of both the accommodation and flights. It’s simply easier than having to organise everything yourself. Plus, you can be assured that your accommodation will be suitable for you because they have checked it in advance. Also, look at blogs by disabled travellers who have visited the place before, such as Simply Emma, which can give you valuable insights into the place you want to go.

Q – If you could give one piece of advice to someone newly adjusting to life as a quadriplegic, what would it be?

A – I suggest reaching out to a charity like Back Up, which offers specialist advice and mentors. They also organise courses for people with spinal injuries, helping you develop independence skills or participate in outdoor activities to demonstrate that life doesn’t end when you become disabled.

Q – What’s one misconception about quadriplegia that you wish more people understood?

A – This misconception is not specific to people with quadriplegia but to disabled people in general. Often, able-bodied people speak to the carer rather than the disabled person. There seems to be a misconception that disabled people can’t speak for themselves whereas in most cases this is not true. It happens often in my experience where people don’t talk to me directly they talk to the person with for some reason, which is a bit patronising.

Osborne Morris & Morgan have been proud to offer long-term legal support to Alex and his family, proving that expert guidance and compassionate service can make all the difference when it matters most.